DUCT 23rd to 27th of August 2005

anvdg] Tropo Opening Mon night 23.08.05 + Murray Bridge repeater - still legendry

Morning all.

Bit of a tropo opening last night to VK5 for me.

After work I noted the Renmark TV beacon on 143.760 was up a bit and sitting
at S9 sometimes more.

Things were all pretty tame on 2m until about 10.30 pm.

Then at 10.38 pm I was extremely happy (and amazed) to have triggered the
one and only Murray Bridge repeater! VK5RMB on 146.875 out at 733 Km. I had
been waiting to hear that callsign since I was advised the repeater had been
put back into service and since I got the vertical yagis back up and there
it was! And keeping with the usual Murray Bridge Legendry status, it was the
only VK5 repeater signal heard at the time and also the Adelaide beacon was
only S2. The Adelaide beacon even faded out and Murray Bridge was still S3.
Thats amazing stuff.

Anyway, after a few calls on Murray Bridge I got Alan VK5ZLT to respond
which was great to hear.

After this I woke up at 2am and clicked on the Murray Bridge frequency again
and it was S9! I put a few sleepy calls out and got Rob VK5MM.

I then checked a few other repeater frequencies and was able to get Crafers
Adelaide VK5RAD 147.000, S5 signal at 764 Km. Barossa Valley 146.825 at 741
Km only 5/3 and Lobethal 146.775 at 747 Km at 5/3. Signals were mostly weak.

There has been nothing this morning (Tues) after 7am. Perhaps tonight could
be good.

Leigh VK2KRR

23.08.05 - t 5.30 pm Renmark TV is 5/9+20dB but varying.

5.35 pm - Got to Murray Bridge repeater @ 733 km W and spoke to Rob VK5MM,
signal 4/4.

5.40 pm - Noted high sun noise, S9 on 144 MHz and S3 on 70cm SSB. About S2
on FM 2m.

5.45 pm - Able to get Lobethal repeater 146.775 weak around S3 @ 747 km W

6.40 pm - Just hearing Crafers 147.000 @ 764 km W but unable to access.
Other repeaters have virtually gone, Adelaide beacon is in and out with QSB
5/1 only at the moment. Crafers 4/1. Renmark TV 5/9+30.

7.20 pm - Signals poor if any, but now just beginning to get to Crafers,
Lobethal and Murray Bridge again. Also seem to be hearing Willunga Hill on
146.675 @ 771 km.

7.40 pm - Murray Bridge up to S7, working VK5MM at Mt Barker, but repeater
slowly dropped back to S1 and lost him. Adelaide beacon looking better 5/2.
Renmark TV only 5/5.

24.8.05 Wed evening

7.30 pm - VK5NY 5/9+10 - 144.100; 5/9 on 432.150. Just hearing on 1296.100
no contact. 770 km

7.45 pm - VK5ZLX 5/7 on 144.150. 735km

8.30 pm - VK5JL Les 4/1 on 144.100. 770+km

8.40 pm - VK5UBC Brian 4/1 on 144.080 from CP. 950 + km

10.20pm - VK3KYF Garry 5/7 146.500 FM Mildura 400 km

10.55 pm - VK3AXH Ian on Aurora 4/7. Ballarat. 144.100

11 pm - Renmark TV 5/9+60+; Adelaide beacon 4/1

25.08.05 -- Gave up note taking.

26.08.05 Evening

Oh my god!

Huge signals.

6.15 pm - Geelong repeater 147.000 - 5/9+50 dB @ 383 km. Worked Ken VK3HKR
mobile and Ken VK3UCV.

6.28 pm - Otway Ranges 5/9+50dB @ 486 km.

Mt Macedon 5/9+40 @ 324 km working VK3HJW John, VK3UFO Jim. VK3CKC Kevin
mobile Bendigo.

7.40 pm - Worked VK3UDX Geoff 144.100 5/3 from Melb. Fairly weak.

8 pm - Starting to get VK5 coming in. Renmark TV +60dB. Robinvale S9.
Getting to Murray Bridge @ 733 km working VK5PO and VK5MM. Tried VK5PO on
144.100, was up to 5/2 but faded, contact not complete. Also heard John on
FM simplex.
Hearing Lobethal 146.775 @ 747 Km, very weak, not readable.

8.57 pm - Hearing Broken Hill beacon while beaming Adelaide. Turned antenna
to Broken Hill and is 5/9 @ 638 km NW. Cant get their repeater.

9.15 pm - Worked Peter VK5ZLX from Barossa Valley on 144.100 SSB, 5/3 @ 735
Km W.
Also having a listen for Alice Springs beacon on 144.484.5 cw also using
Spectran. Not seeing a tropo signal but getting a few nice meteor pings @
1817 km NW.

9.48 pm - Getting Broken Hill repeater now S7. Working Paul VK2YVG and Brian
VK2DPG. Also worked Brian VK2DPG on 146.500 up to 5/7 @ 640 km. Paul advised
70cm beacon diffinately is not working.

10.21 pm - Working Roger VK5NY on 144.100 - 5/5 @ 770 Km.

10.42 pm - Broken Hill repeater hitting 5/9+20dB and beacon 5/9+10dB.

Regards

Leigh VK2KRR

Saturday 27.08.05

Signals still very good, but mainly north south.

Currently 6pm and have just had Ararat repeater at 5 5/9+50dB @ 410 Km,
Grampians 5/9+20 @ 471 km, Mt Gambier repeater 5/2 @ 633 km. Broken Hill
beacon 5/5.

6 pm - Mt Macedon repeater 5/9+60+. Access 2 W.

6.20 pm - Worked VK5ZUI Greg on Mt Gambier repeater 146.900 @ 633 km, signal
only 5/4.

6.50 pm - Ararat repeater 5/9+60+; Grampians 5/9+40 - working VK3VTX Gavin
and Doug VK3KAY.

9.40 pm - Mildura rptr 5/9+20, Murray Bridge 5/3 @ 733 km; Lobethal 4/1 @
747 km; Barossa Valley 5/4 @ 741 km. Heaps of other stuff coming in also.

9.50 pm - Mildura repeater - Garry VK3KYF and Les VK3TJ. Les 5/5 on simplex
146.500.

10.50 pm - Worked Charlie VK3FMD from Melbourne on 144.150 - 5/9; 432.150 -
5/9; 1296.200 - 5/2.
Warrnambool repeater 5/9+20! worked VK3KVW Michael at Ballarat. QSYd to
146.500 FM simplex and 3KVW was 5/9+40. QSY to 432.100 3KVW peaking 5/9 with
QSB. QSY to 144.100 3KVW 5/9. Also Ian VK3IDL at Ballarat 5/9+20. Also Colin
VK5DK at Mt Gambier 5/5 and Russell VK3ZQB at Port Fairy 5/9+10.
Tried Russell on 1296.100 with no luck.
Did then work VK3ZQB and VK3KVW on Warrnambool repeater.

Michael VK3KVW mentioned on Thursday afternoon 4pm, working John VK6ZN
stationary mobile at Eucla WA, on 146.500 FM @ 1515 Km. Michael mentions
originally hearing John on the Mt Gambier repeater (1282 km) and they then
QSY'd to simplex.

Leigh VK2KRR